Background of Invention: Most concrete retaining wall products produced today are, manufactured on concrete product machines, (e.g. block machines or raver machines) and are of a split face design (e.g. Siamese manufactured and then split into two or more products) with some type of core hole or protrusion on the product to either lock the product in place or offset it as it is dry stacked in place. Historically retaining wall products are manufactured standing upright in a mold with the face of the unit unseen until the product is stripped from the mold and split in two or more pieces. Because of the way existing concrete products have to be manufactured in an upright position and the inability to put a relief or design on the face of the unit, all retaining wall products are manufactured in basically the same manner. In the production of retaining wall, a set height stopping point, set into the manufacturing machine, determines the height of the product. This process typically has room for errors (e.g. variance of heights) cycle to cycle. When standard masonry units are laid up, they had been manufactured to nominal height and the difference is made up with mortar. In the case of retaining wall units, they are made to exact (still a variance occurs) height and dry stacked. Any variance is magnified as the height of the wall increases. This variance is usually the reason for rejection of the product.
This new design is how the product is manufactured and the face is imprinted. This new process makes the product in the face up position with the face or relief being stamped into the product. This concept is totally new to the manufacture of concrete retaining wall products because it makes the relief or rock face design with the stripper shoes and is not split afterwards. By manufacturing the product in this new way the dimensions of the product are exact and consistent cycle to cycle. Any variation in the height of the product would show up on the face of the unit and not make any difference to the integrity of the wall. The design of the units is also unique to retaining wall products.